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 High-spirited show of Jagath Maanyam - Jyothi Raghuram e-mail: jyothi.r.ram@gmail.com Photos: Harshavardhan K September 4, 2022 At a festival of veteran dancers in Bengaluru some months ago, Kuchipudi dancer and art organizer Veena Murthy Vijay, one of the soloists, had said she always thinks big, be it her aaharya or dance productions! She certainly was not off the mark, her recent dance drama, Jagath Maanyam, vouching for this. A mega presentation in every sense-- over 40 dancers, folk dance and music, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, contemporary dance, acrobatics, audio visual backdrops—came together in a kaleidoscope of colours, movements and music, establishing impressively and inspiringly, the patriotic fervour of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.   It is not feasible to get into the nitty gritty of such huge productions while assessing them. By definition, they defy categorization and classicism, as numerous elements are brought into their making. What essentially matters is efficacy of communication and overall aesthetics. Here, Veena scored in carrying forth a story of valour and sacrifice, an apt tribute to mark India's 75th year of independence. Vibrancy and energy were the distinctive features of the production. One has rarely witnessed such a high voltage show, buttressed by emotional and patriotic fervour. The dancers transported the audience to another era, filling them with pride and a sense of patriotism. Although well-rehearsed, with each dancer contributing to the whole, one has to mention the name of Mithun Shyam, the protagonist and show stealer, given the purposefulness, agility, vitality and intense portrayal that he projected. One usually steers clear of generous use of superlatives and adjectives as they can ring hollow. In this instance, Mithun demanded all the descriptions! An unsung hero of the freedom struggle, the life and time of Sitarama Raju, brought alive in Jagath Maanyam, traversed through his young life, sacrificed at the altar of freedom for his motherland. A pioneer in guerrilla warfare, a hero among tribals who mobilized their collective strength to fight the British, a jungle warrior who even doubled as a lone wolf, and finally, one who terrorised the British despite limited means of warfare, Sitarama Raju, hitherto confined to the pages of peripheral local history, was brought to the limelight through the production, occupying space with the pantheons of the freedom struggle—a laudable contribution of Veena, via performing arts.   The love angle of Raju, with the supportive Sita, who meets a premature death, added flavour, although Sangeetha Phaneesh, as Sita, just smiled her way through. Her eye-catching glamourous costuming was incongruous with the characterization. The robotic movement of the dancers in what is named as contemporary dance, with shades of Bharatanatyam sans flexions, appeared overzealous. Credit for this expressive production were many. Veena's choreography was well matched by the folk ensemble segment directed by Sreenivas G Kappanna, a formidable multi-talented treasure of Karnataka with a national presence. The addition of Kamsaale as a mainstream was integrated well into the dance drama, the rhythmic accompaniment enhanced by the zest and gaiety of the folk dancers led by M. Lingaya, which had subtly incorporated Kuchipudi movements too. Expectedly, Praveen D. Rao's music anchored the production; lighting and multimedia effects by Surya N Rao added to the dramatic content. A little more imagination could have gone into costuming by Rekha Jagadish.   Under the banner of Sri Rajarajeshwari Kalaniketan, artistes of Samanvay Dance Company and Aaayana Dance Company were knit together along with the Kamsaale artistes.  Jyothi Raghuram is a senior journalist and art critic based in Bangalore. |
